Evaluation of Information Services

1. Evaluation of Information Services Context

2. Topics of Day • Mission • Vision • Goals and Objectives • Standards • Types of Metrics • Input • Output • Performance • Customer-related • Outcomes (impacts)

3. Mission • Indicates what the institution does (is)—a philosophical statement that broadly sets forth areas perceived to be important to the organization. Such statements are value assessments of what the organization should be doing • Separates the institution from its peers

4. Mission Statement • Focus on the present • A mission statement should guide decision-making • For research, this includes: • What to study • How to study • How to use results • How to communicate findings/ results

6. Vision • Aspiration • Concentrates on the future • Provides motivations/ inspirations • Not what we do now, what we plan/ hope to do.

7. Mission & Vision • Many are on the Web for both institutions and libraries • http://midhudson.org/department/member_information/missions.htm

8. Example: Mission • The Howland Public Library provides materials and services to help community residents obtain information meeting their personal, educational and professional needs. Special emphasis is placed on supplying adults with current reading materials; on providing reference services to students (at all academic levels) and other information seekers; and on making facilities available for local individuals, organizations and agencies to do community work. The library serves as a learning and activities center for all residents of the Beacon School District.

9. Harold Bee Library Brigham Young University • Offers a vision statement • Two Mission statements • General Library • Library Web Site • http://www.lib.byu.edu/missions.php

10. Goals & Objectives • Goals • Long-range statements of activity areas (usually 3-5 years) and suggest activities that will receive priority for organizational resources • May focus on collections, services, and administration • Objectives • Are measurable, challenging, time-limited, and clearly understood • Standards • External benchmarks • Library • Accreditation organizations

11. Example: Goal/objectives • University of Florida, George A. Smathers Library • Optimize Delivery Of Library Resources And Services • Build and manage library collections in support of academic programs (Develop collections consistent with funding) • Provide timely access to requested materials • Simplify search/discovery of library resources • Build Digital Library infrastructure • Build the information literacy/library instruction program • Increase library outreach and marketing efforts • Undertake systematic review of reference services designed

12. Example: Goals and Objectives • I.A • At an inflation-adjusted base of $8,170,000, review the cancellation program to adjust actual expenditures for serials and monographs • In light of a one-time $500,000 addition to the materials budget, implement desiderata list in conjunction with faculty and program needs • Review the local results of the OCLC WorldCat Collection Analysis Service in preparation for a CSUL-wide initiative for coordination in building collection resources • Review ILL transactions as indicators for materials acquisition

13. Standards & Measures

14. Examples of Quality Areas for Libraries/Archives Collections Instruction, teaching, Fostering learning Quality (examples) Staff Programs Management Facilities, equipment Leadership Services

15. Measurement Questions • How much? • How many? • How economical? • How prompt? • How accurate? • How responsive? • How well? • How valuable? • How reliable? • How courteous? • How satisfied?

16. Four Perspectives • The institution and the communities served in the life of the library/archives • The library/archives and academic departments and programs in the life of the institution • The library/archives, department/ program, and institution in the life of the user/customer • The library/archives, program/ department, and institution in the life of stakeholders

17. Library/ Archive Perspective • Questions • How Much • How Many • How Well • Perpsective • Productivity • Efficiency • Effectiveness

18. User Perspective • Questions • How Well? • How Satisfied? • How Responsive? • Perspective • Service Quality • Satisfaction

19. Institution Perspective • Questions • How Well? • How Much? • How Many? • How Efficient? • Perspectives • Effectiveness • Efficiency

20. Stakeholder Perspective • Questions? • How Well • Meeting Expectations • Perspectives • Outcomes • Student Outcomes • Student Learning Outcomes

21. Types of Metrics • Input* • Output* • Performance* *Might be presented in a cost-benefit context • Customer-related • Outcomes • Student outcomes • Student learning outcomes • Other types--impacts

22. Performance Indicators • Examples • http://equinox.dcu.ie/reports/pilist.html • Percentage of the population reached by electronic library services • Number of sessions on each electronic library service per member of the target population • Number of remote sessions on electronic library services per member of the population to be served • Number of documents and entries (records) viewed per session for each electronic library service • Cost per session for each electronic library service • Cost per document or entry (record) viewed for each electronic library service • Percentage of information requests submitted electronically • Library computer workstation use rate

23. Cost Analyses • Cost-benefit analysis: The economic efficiency of a program expressed as the relationship between costs and outputs (or outcomes), usually measured in monetary terms • Cost-effectiveness analysis: The efficacy of a program in achieving goals/objectives (or outcomes) in relation to program costs

24. How to Get Your Money’s Worth • Mildred F. Sawyer Library at Suffolk University • If you study in the library for one hour per weekTotal value for the academic year= $16.44 • How did they calculate this? • http://www.suffolk.edu/sawlib/faq.htm#anchor13268